I had a loose tile on the roof in front of the chimney breast and noticed that in the loft the internal chimney breast was a bit damp. Since then had it repaired (i.e. the tile tapped down and the flashing secured.
I once saw a surveyor test water moisture in wall with a little machine. I would like to know if there has been damage to the chimney and wondered if I could buy one to test. Just really worried that this is a serious problem and I have been ripped off!
How can I check to make sure there is no permanent damage?
Best Answer
The best way I've found to check for damage isn't the way you want to hear: pull everything out, open it all up, and expose any areas that could have been damaged. Faced with that, most of us ignore the problem until there is a visible sign (rotting wood or water damaged drywall). But that's not to say this is the right choice, since mold and mildew will spread and make the problem worse.
If the problem is behind a few sheets of drywall, the best option may be to simply pull them down and replace them with a mold and mildew proof board. Do a thorough inspection for damage while the drywall is out.
The probe sounds like a wood moister tester. A high reading is bad, but a low reading doesn't mean you're ok (the water could have gone somewhere else). If you can't access the affected area from the attic or crawl space, then you may want to see if you can rent a borescope, drill some holes near where you think the water could have gotten in, and see what you can find.